Five Fantastic Video Game Christmas Gift Ideas

Some people are downright infuriating to shop for. You never know what they actually want, and they're definitely not so keen on telling you, no matter how hard you press. In essence, you're left to your own devices as far as working out decent gift ideas- and there always seems to be the chance that they'll be unimpressed with whatever you do eventually decide upon.

Gamers who behave in this fashion are particularly daunting to shop for - particularly if you don't play video games yourself. Hey, I'm here to help. As promised yesterday, here's a few more awesome gift ideas for the gamer in your life. At least one of them's going to be a hit - the trick lies in figuring out which one.

New Hardware

I'm going to start with a fairly extensive category: hardware. This can be anything from a new controller for a gaming console to a new headset, mouse, or keyboard to a new graphics card or hard drive. Take a look at the gear the person you're buying for is currently using, and pay attention to any complaints they might have about their gaming experience.

Do they have an old, beat-up headset? Are they using a second-rate mouse or keyboard? Is their monitor an absolute relic?

Now, a word of caution here: while it doesn't take a whole lot of extra effort to look up reviews on gaming headsets or purchase a new controller, I'd avoid buying new hardware such as graphics cards or sound cards without first talking to the person you're buying for (not in the least because they're often mind-numbingly expensive). Bring them along, if need be - they probably know more about it than you do, and can help you avoid making a fatal purchasing error.

In case you aren't already aware, this month saw two of the biggest console launches in years: Sony's Playstation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One. These two rigs are the much-touted 'next generation' of gaming, and both systems boast a reasonably strong launch line-up, a great deal of power, and a bunch of cool features. Thing is...the two consoles aren't really all that different from one another, once you strip them down a bit.

Unfortunately, that makes deciding which one to buy (unless you're going solely based on price; then the PS4 is several hundred dollars cheaper) a bit of a hassle. In order to decide, you're going to have to do a bit of legwork. First, look at what console (or consoles) the gift receiver already owns. Do they have an Xbox 360? Do they swear by the PS3? Chances are fairly high that if they only own a PS3, they'll want a PS4, and vice versa for the 360 and Xbox One.

That said, you can work out which of the two consoles they'd prefer (or if indeed they want either at all) simply by talking to them about their hobby. Chances are they'll make it clear which of the two they'd prefer if you steer the conversation in that direction.

I would have put the Oculus Rift in this spot, but unfortunately it's not quite at the point where it's ready to be a consumer product just yet. As such, I've decided to give a different suggestion: the Razer Hydra. The Hydra consists of two light-weight motion-sensing controllers that equip a wide array of different games with motion-control capabilities. Combine this, with, say, the Oculus Rift (when it actually releases), and you'll have what may well be one of the most immersive experiences ever.

For the time being,motion control is cool. Plus, it's a peripheral designed by Razer, a company beloved by gamers everywhere. Seems like a pretty safe bet, yeah?

Prepaid Point/Subscription Cards

I'm going to come right out and say it: if someone plays PC games, there's a good chance they play League of Legends. If they play League of Legends, there's a good chance they've got at least one champion or champion skin (basically, a unique visual style for a character) that they want to purchase, but might not be able to afford. In the event that you know someone plays League of Legends, here's what you should do:

Go to GameStop (or any store that sells video games), and pick up a Riot Point card. Or get one from Amazon online.

League's not the only game that point cards exist for, either. There are also subscription cards for many MMOs, as well.

This one's a perfect gift for the kids - though the 3DS definitely isn't a handheld exclusively for children. There's a whole laundry list of awesome games currently on the console - and coming to the console in the near future, including Pokemon X & Y, Paper Mario Sticker Star, Professor Layron...you get the idea.

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